Arrangement for supporting of ventilating grills and similar elements



Nov. 1, 1955 G K J. BROBERG ARRANGEMENT FIOR SUPPORTING OF VENTILATING Filed May 16, 1951 GRILLS AND SIMILAR ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet l fh/nam Nov. l, 1955 G. K. J. BRoBl-:RG

ARRANGEMENT FOR SUPPORTING OF VENTILATING GRILLS AND SIMILAR ELEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1951 United States Patent-@Hice 2,722,170 Patented Nov. 1, 1955 GEMENT'FORSUPPORTING" 0F VENTI LATING GRIILLS SIMILAR ELEMENTS (`}eorgf.Ka1 l4 Johan Broberg, Solnay Sweden, yassgnor .to AB Svenska Flktfalriken, Stockholm, SwedenV 4Appli-mation.Mayf 16;- 1951; serial No. zzaasssf 4 Claims. -(cl. sbs- 114) The@ presenti invention relates'1 to an" arrangement' for removably supporting 'ventilatinggrills' and thel liker in an openingvin' a'wa'll or 'other structure.'

Ventilating' grills usually-liare supported in. a wall or other opening inwhich'heyare removablysecured" by means f vof fasteners* suchj as screws; 'Periodically i 'these grills mustI be removed,:-forinstancejfor' clearingI and possibly repaintingf and the 'use"`oftools `is* required'k to removev the screw` fastenersin order to remove" the' grills. Not only* does this involve-loss' 'oftime but 'the use t of tools oftenu results in*thejpaintedl'surfacesof the grills being scratched' or "otherwise '-darnagedfby the' tools' when removing V or replacing the-grills.'

Furthermore, -in` 'the4 case `of"grill's"whi'ch' are secured inY place Iby screw-fasteners;entirelydierentmetliods and constructions are -requireddepending uponwwh'etherthe grillis mounted'in an opening^in=a metal"pla`ce,'or in. a wood, brick; or;stonewalliconstruction;y "If' th'egiillis permanently -incorpora'te'd'im' a) lbricleor `stone wall 'the grill mu'st ybe 'of-especially*'strongf.constructitmJ in'order to provide adequate :supporrfonthe overlying.' brick or stonework; v

By the -present 'invention' 'it' ispossible readilyand easily toremove and replacelgrillsfwthout Vthe use:l of tools and the same construction for removing andreplacing-the grills may kbe used 'forall' dilerenttypes" of" wall construction.

According to the present inveiition'tthe ,grillis :mounted in la .frame structurefpermanently" secured inanf opening in a-wallly Inone of'itsdimensionstherame isl'arger than; the corresponding dimension'of theg'rill" so' 'that the latter is afforded limited movementwi'thin the frame' in thatdirection and lthe-limiting walls'of theframef are each provided with-a1series of teeth extendingv inwardly' from the-'face' oftheframe. `Provided inthe' outer surfaces ofthe -2 'grill corresponding* to `the toothed "walls of ith'e fF'g. 2`is=afviewsirnilarto Fig.l 1 showingfa' step inmth'e procedure for removing the grill from the fran-1e;v

Figures I' 3 and Y4 are fragmentary views' -imperspective showing," respectively; Iadditional "details" ofV construction of-the grill and" frame;

Figs. 5 and-6, respectively; aresfragmentary,"perspecL tive and lsectional'views showing the constructionl and installation'of alframe'construction for grills which'is especially*adapted'for'use ine an opening in'a plate;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of' an alternate frame construction= embodying the present invention and especially adapted for use in' masonry walls;y

Fig. -8`- is an end elevational View of theedisclosure of Fig; 7;

Figure 9 is a sectional-"view` taken on 1ine9gFigure"7;l

'Figure l() is ay View inperspective2 from the rear `of the frame-construction showntiniFigures 7,'v 8 andl9';

Fig. ll is aA plan view of the-blank of one end'piece of the Aframe'shown in Figs.l 7'to '10; and

Fig. 12 is aperspectiveview'showing the blankof'Fig; ll after 'it has been formed intoone' endl piece ofthe frame.'

Referringjnowy to the' drawings, reference numeral 1 designates al wall 'structure having an opening '1a therein in which' a Ventilating grill is to'bemounted. Secured in the `wall opening la vis a rectangulary frame- F the' opposite sidewalls 2 oli-which areeachy provided with a seriesof teeth:k The series ofteeth on'each side wall 2 'of the frame is divided into two sections 3'r and"4-arranged,` respectively,` adjacent thei'front andl rear faces 'of the'fframe. As shown in Figs. l and-"2 of the drawings,v the'teeth of the front 'section' 3"1 are` formed so4 that they extendy angu# larlyinward'in a 'directionv away from Athe front facetof the frame; and the'teeth' of the rear section 4"extend angularly` inward of the frame in al direction' away, from the rearfacethereof.

A frame constructed as set forth'is adapted to receive a'ventilating'or like grill' G. lThegrll Gconformstokthe general= shape or configuration-of the frame'F inxwhich it is to bemounted. However; accordingjto'the-invention the'space' between' the Ysidewalls2 of the frame isA some-f what greater than the corresponding dimension'of"`.the grill so' thatV the" latter-isl afforded limitedvr lateral movement withinthe frame;

MountedA at one end do' the .g-rill G andy arrangedto engage the teetht-ofoneof the'frontsections 3 Ais a.' rigid or-`nonresilientmemberortnger 5 which. projects 'anguframe-rare a resilientand' rigidl member,'respectiv`ely', c.

Whichfaresadapted :to releasably f engage theteeth-on said walls-of the "-frame and detachably secure the grillf in` fthe frame "as` hereinafter more: 'fully' explained.'

' In "af-preferredeembodimentf of 'the invention the series offteeth'fwhich-'is "provided oir each' of 'the' opposite' limitng wallsothe"l frame is divided into two sections, one section beingdifsposed*adjacent.one face ofthe frame With'its teeth'extending angularlyin a direction inwardly awayA from saidl one face of theframe and. the othersection.' being disposed adjacent the. other.4 faceof.V the .frame with .its teeth.. extending` angularlyk in va direction .inwardly away. fromsaidother face .ofathefrarne Bythis con.- struction thel grillf'maybemountedl in Athe framevfrom either. side. :thereof- The* `invention f will `-now be' more' -fully describedy fwith reference to the accompanying'idrawings,- inf-which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a grill and frame made according to the present invention showing the rst "step"'iiprocdreformounting the grill in the frame;

lar-ly forwardly ofth'ekv grillbat an angle corresponding substantially to'ithe'y angle of^dispositionf of "thee teethrof said sections 3i At the'o'tlierend "of'tliegrill G5 there is provided` a resilientmemberornger 6having-^ a'freeend portion'whi'chprojects atan angle corresponding"sub= stantiall'y `tolthe 'angleof'theteethf of' the other. sectioniS at'theopposite"side of the^frame'F". Tliemem'bersor ngers"5'and"6' are" arranged'toengage, respectively; the teethtof the front sections'thereof formed on 'the opposite side `Wallsof'the frameFj'Ifor example,V in the manner shownl iii-"Figs,A 1" and "2;" respectively:

To mount the grillifGin the frame Ftthe'gri'lli'isheld irrtliegeneraliposition' showni'n F ig." 1" of. the-fdrawings and the' non'aresilientiingerisfengaged"behind one of the 4teethL of" thefront section" 3L formed* onv the adjacent framewall""2.' With the grillithus'po'sitioned,"thjglll is swung in the counterclockwise direction, usingth'efgtip of the-linger `5""as -thefpivotipoint, .into lthe frame tu engage the'resilient'iiger'-63beh'ind onefoftheteeth of the" front sectiont.formedl orrtheN opposite frame" wa'll" therebyjsecurely anchoringjthe'grilliin'the'frame. To remove tl'le grill whenevert'desired;'thegrlll' is movedwithinhe frame totthe'ri'ght'with respect to': Fig. 1compressingtlieresilient ingefsuciently to' .disengage' and 'clearfthei' riori=l f resilie'nfngeri5from"the' teethaftlieoppositeside of the frame. The grill may then be swung in the counterclockwise direction outwardly of the frame and removed as shown in Fig. 2. The grill G has a peripheral flange 7 which overlies and conceals the frame F when mounted therein.

The described construction of the frame F with its front and rear sections of teeth extending angularly inwardly from the adjacent faces of the frame, and the construction of the grill G with its non-resilient and resilient fingers and 6, respectively, makes it possible readily and easily to mount the grill in the frame at either side of the latter and to remove and replace the grill as desired without the use of tools.

Construction of a frame F embodying the present invention which is particularly adapted for use in an opening in a plate wall 8 is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. Secured by welding or other means to the outside of the frame F s a plate 9 having a raised part 9b which is disposed adjacent to the wall and functions to increase the bearing surface of the frame and stiffening the edge of the sheet metal plate 8. The edge of the plate 9 outwardly of the raised part 9b is provided with a horizontal flange 10 which projects through the opening and then is bent 90 to overlie the front face of the plate 8 as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The rear edge of the plate 9 can be formed as at 9a to provide a narrow channel or recess about the rear frame should such construction be desirable. As in the case of the frame of Figs. l and 2, the frame F is provided with series of teeth 3a and 4a at opposite sides thereof, constructed and arranged as previously described, for detachably securing the grill G therein.

Figures 8 to 12 illustrate still another frame structure F" which is particularly adaptable for mounting and supporting a Ventilating grill in a masonry wall. The frame essentially comprises identical top and bottom frame members 12, 12 and end frame members 13, 13. In the preferred embodiment they may be formed of sheet metal or the like and arranged in such a manner as to provide interlocking engagement with each other at their respective extremities in assembly. The manner of interlock and the structural shapes of the several components provide the necessary rigidity and strength to the frame structure as well as facilitating the securing of the frame in the wall.

Fig. 11 illustrates a blank comprising one of the end frame members as shown before the several bending operations. A generally rectangular body portion is indicated at 14. Adjacent the lower edge thereof is a. tongue 15 which is bent rearwardly along the line a-a through an arc of 180 as clearly shown in Fig. 8. This tongue may be provided with notches 15a, as shown in Figures 9, 11 and 12, and they function similarly to those shown at 2 in Fig. 1. The upper edge of the body portion 14 is defined by a line d-d which parallels the line a-a' and denes an edge portion 16 having depending side portions 17, 18 disposed adjacent to and coextensive with the side edges 19 and 20, respectively, of the blank. The blank is lanced along the lines bed and b'c'd adjacent the left and right sides respectively. This permits the edge and side portions 16, 17 and 18 to be bent forwardly together along the line d-d through an arc of 90. The remaining side aps 21 and 22 adjoining the body portion 14 are also bent along lines parallel to the lines a, c and a', c' rearwardly through an arc of 90 to finally form the end frame member 13 as it appears in the drawings.

The top and bottom frame members 12, 12 are uniform in width as viewed in Fig. 7 and have the configuration indicated in section in Fig. 9. In this figure each member 12 is shown as having an intermediate and horizontally disposed body portion 25. One end of this body portion is bent rearwardly at 26 through an arc of 180 to form an extension 27, while the opposite end 28 is bent perpendicularly at 29 and then reversely bent to form a triangular box section with its terminal end 30 lying adjacent to and in the plane of the body portion 25.

ln assembly the extended portions 17, 18, 21 and 22 of the end frames 13, 13 are fitted into the ends of the side frame members 12, 12 in a manner shown clearly in Fig. 7 providing the interlocking engagement referred to above. The vertically disposed extensions 17 and 18 are received into the triangular box section of the respective side frames while the flaps 21 and 22 are inserted between the body portions 25 and the overlying edges 30 thereof.

When installed in a wall or the like, the depending members 27, 27 and 15, 1S function as retention members to cooperatively support and retain a Ventilating grill of the type disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim:

l. A supporting arrangement for Ventilating grills and the like comprising a polygonal frame, a grill member conforming to the configuration of the frame and having a continuous peripheral flange projecting outwardly substantially in the plane thereof to overlie the front face of the frame, a packing extending continuously about the rear face of the ange and disposed for sealing engagement with the front face of the frame, said grill member between two sides thereof having a dimension less than the frame to afford limited movement of the grill within the frame between said two sides, and interengaging parts on the frame and grill intermediate the corresponding opposite sides thereof to detachably secure the grill member in the frame, said parts on the frame comprising a series of ratchet teeth protruding inwardly of the frame and the parts on the grill at one side thereof being nonresilient and at the opposite side of the grill being resilient and compressible by movement of the grill in the direction of said opposite side thereof to effect engage- 4ment and disengagement of said non-resilient parts at the one side of the grill and thereby secure the latter firmly within the frame in a position inwardly with respect to the front face thereof so that the packing on the flange of the grill is in tight sealing engagement with said front face of the frame.

2. A grill construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein the series of teeth provided on the two opposite sides of the frame are divided into two sections arranged respectively adjacent the front and rear faces of the frame, and the teeth of each section are formed so that they extend angularly inward of the frame in a direction away from the front face of the frame.

3. A grill construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein selected surfaces of the frame have straps secured exteriorly thereof which are formed to provide an upwardly extending projection at and along one edge of the frame and terminating in a horizontally projecting ange portion to extend through an opening in a wall, said flange portion being bendable to overlie the adjacent wall surface.

4. A grill construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame consists in part of a pair of end pieces each having a central portion, a tongue portion at one side of said central portion bent inwardly of the frame parallel to the central portion, a strip portion at the opposite side of said central portion of the end piece from said tongue and having tab portions integral therewith adjacent opposite ends of said central portions and severed therefrom, the said strip portion and its integral tab portions being bent at right angles to the end piece central portion with the strip portion extending from the central portion at the side thereof opposite said tongue portion, and flap portions integral with opposite ends of said central portion of the end piece bent at right angles thereto in the opposite direction from said strip portion.

(References on following page) References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cohen Aug. 14, 1894 Arend Mar. 24, 1903 s Sale Nov, 10, 1903 Wynn July 23, 1907 Symonds May 12, 1908 Hoddersen-Ballng June 1, 1926 Durdn, Jr Sept. 21, 1926 lo Covell July 21, 1931 6 Westrick June 14, 1932 Germonprez Mar. 27, 1934 Reed May 5, 1936 Karmazin Oct. 27, 1936 Fredholdt, Jr. Dec. 8, 193'6 Witteman July 27, 1943 Hoiman Oct. 28, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Jan. 16, 1934 

